Posted on 11/02/2009 5:21:33 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Slow 'em down and keep 'em on the ground.
Sounds simple, doesn't it?
So why can't NASCAR do it with Sprint Cup Series cars at Talladega Superspeedway? How long do the powers-that-be think they can keep dodging the flying 3,450-pound bullets at that facility? How long do they think the public -- and more importantly, their drivers -- will sit back and accept the small Band-Aids they have applied as real efforts at solutions to problems that require more serious study and quicker action?
And while we're at it, how long does NASCAR think the healthy approach to any of its problems is to say they "have long believed in having an independent media" and that debate "is great for any sport" -- and then have a highly placed executive from its governing body publicly call for the firing of a trio of broadcasters who criticize their sport? That's as hypocritical as it gets, folks.
But that's another ongoing battle sure to be fought vigorously on other days.
This is about Talladega. Or once again, what to do about Talladega?
In the aftermath of Sunday's Amp Energy 500 -- during which the No. 39 Chevrolet of Ryan Newman and the No. 5 Chevy of Mark Martin both flipped and went airborne -- this time it's not enough for NASCAR officials to place all of the blame on overaggressive drivers and say it's all going to be OK if track officials simply add a few feet to the catch fence on the frontstretch.
Lingering questions
So much was wrong with Sunday's race that it's difficult to know where to begin, but let it first be stated that this isn't meant to be an all-out rant against the current state of racing in the Sprint Cup Series. I might be in the minority, but I happen to think much of the racing this season has been pretty darn good. I happen to agree with some NASCAR officials that there are many involved in the sport -- participants as well as media -- who are obsessed with how much better things were in the supposedly good 'ol days.
I just don't agree with trying to suppress their First Amendment rights to say so.
Let me also state that I've long believed that the racing at Talladega is some of the most entertaining on the Sprint Cup circuit. It is as compelling on television as it is live, but it has become a guilty pleasure -- because it's not safe.
And listen, we all know racing can never be completely safe -- and that NASCAR has come a long, long way in ensuring that the cars are safer and so are most of the tracks. But that's what makes the lack of initiative -- or ability -- to do anything about Talladega so doggone frustrating.
As long as the cars are running at speeds upwards of 195 mph and in close packs, with cars whose safety features otherwise are stout but cannot stay on the ground when bumped at those speeds, it's a disaster waiting to happen.
When Carl Edwards went airborne and came dangerously close to flying into the frontstretch grandstands in his No. 99 Ford on the final lap of the spring race at the venue, he bluntly stated that he supposed there would be no major changes to this kind of racing "until someone gets killed."
Let's hope that's not the case. But seriously, is there anyone out there who doesn't have a sinking feeling he might be right after what transpired there again in the latest race Sunday?
Time for real answers
In a well-intentioned but poorly played effort to make it safer Sunday, NASCAR president Mike Helton warned drivers before the race that they would be penalized mightily for bump-drafting each other in the corners.
This was two hours prior to the race. Um, here's a thought: how about letting the drivers and crew chiefs know about this intention to enforce a rule that actually already was in place (but universally ignored with no consequences), instead of laying it on them literally right before the dropping of the green flag?
You can't help but wonder is this was yet another misguided effort to "control the message." Tell drivers and crew chiefs about the change well in advance, and -- gasp! -- someone in the media might actually ask for their opinion about it. And -- gasp! -- someone might have been critical of it.
If that wasn't the case, did NASCAR officials really come up with this plan right before the race? That's highly doubtful, but would be just as disturbing if it were true.
All the surprise rule did was relegate the first 100 laps or so to mostly single-file racing that was as boring as it was predictable.
There also were some minor tweaking to the restrictor plates and something called the side wicker. Supposedly these were done with safety in mind, but obviously they were not enough to keep Newman and Martin earth-bound.
So what can be done? Three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson (one step closer to winning four titles in a row after the 13-car wreck that took out Martin and other possible contenders on the last lap Sunday) had a grand idea.
"Get some tractors out here and knock down the [33-degree] banking," said Johnson, the idea being that drivers would then have to slow down through the turns and wouldn't bang into each other at high speeds so often.
I'm no engineer, but that sounds like it might work. Also, we put men on the moon 40 years ago. Can't some smart minds be hired to figure this out?
Newman has his engineering degree from Purdue and said he's ready to examine the problem. Maybe a special car needs to be designed for Daytona and Talladega, the only two restrictor-plate races currently on the circuit.
None of this can be done cheaply. But how much would it cost the sport to lose one of its treasured stars through debilitating injury, or worse?
That's the question that needs to be answered -- and quickly, this time -- at NASCAR's home offices in Daytona Beach, Fla. Silence not only won't be golden; it might eventually turn deadly.
As long as it took them to get him out, it’s a good thing the car didn’t catch fire.
Yup, gotta wonder how much worse it would have been if his landing wasn’t softened by Harvick.
I think Rusty Wallace ran an unrestricted Talladega lap of 223 MPH a couple years back and that was without a draft.
Genius.
About 50 mph as I recall.
The never exceed speed for an airplane is designed to keep the plane - which is designed to fly - from ceasing to fly due to breakup. The never exceed speed for a car is designed to keep the car - which is not designed to fly - from flying. Of course, I know I'm stating the obvious.
I agree that the landing was softened by Harvick. By all accounts, it wasn’t a “jarring” wreck.
That said, I’m tired of NASCAR changing the rules mid season. Leave these guys alone and let them race. Its like NASCAR is being taken over by liberals or something.
In this case NASCAR changed the rules an hour before the race.
Or, they could just run crappy tars like they did at the 2008 Brickyard , and have a cartion every 10 laps :o)
I can’t remember any speed this great. So far as I know Bill Elliot got up to 212 and that is when the restrictor plates finally came in. The necessity was when Bobby Allison nearly went into the stands. I’ve been to the track three times and I can remember when one of the cars nearly went into the stands. The best place to watch the race is at the end of the front stretch at the corner and it necessary to stand to appreciate the speeds. I saw my first race in 1990 if I recall correctly and it was something to behold as Dale Earnhardt led the pack into the turn. I saw one of the wrecks where cars went everywhere and Mark Martin was involved and it is a wonder he wasn’t killed. The smell and smoke is incredible.
There are really no good options here except to flatten the track out like Pocono or reduce the power still further by using V6 engines so the cars can separate further and eliminate the packs. However, those engines are so raspy that it would make everyone deaf. That is one of the reasons they quit using them and they were less reliable.
Probably the best and most enduring suggestion I read a long time ago would be to close both Talledaga and Daytona. I can’t imagine how they would cut the speeds by flattening out the tracks as the track would not be visible from the stands. I suppose they could introduce chicanes like Watkins Glen but that makes it a road race in effect.
The “cookie cutter” tracks are godawful and boring. Also the coverage is over saturated and there is no good reason to go to the track because you can see it so much better on a HD big screen set at home without all of the heat and misery of being at the track.
That’s correct! What if they changed the rules one hour before a football game?
And the chase for the cup is quickly becoming not interesting. Jimmy Johnson can sit out next week and still be in first.
NASCAR only knows one thing - cars race in circles and ONLY turn left. They need to look at other racing venues to see how to easily control speeds.
The track at Le Mans, France, has a straight (the Mulsanne Straight) that is over 4 miles long. Fast cars like Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, Ferrari, etc. used to exceed 240 MPH for 24 hours on this section of track. A few years ago a car went air borne and flipped like happened Sunday. The fix was to add two chicanes to this section to force the cars to slow down before reaching top speed.
Maybe the easy fix is a couple chicanes at Talladega. Oh wait – that would cause the cars to use their brakes, turn to the right, and then accelerate. Probably can’t be done in a NASCAR “stock car”.
Move the Talladega track to Utah! If the weather doesn’t slow em down, the potholes will!
I’d like NASCAR to use a true stock body on the plate tracks. All body panels must be factory stock. The rest of the car can be purpose built.
Neuter'dCar
Fryer’s Five: NASCAR neutered Talladega
TALLADEGA, Ala. – There are only a few things you can count on each year from NASCAR, and a great race at Talladega Superspeedway is pretty much guaranteed.
By great, I don’t mean the spectacular wrecks that have come to signify NASCAR’s fastest track. What makes Talladega so special is the bumping and the banging, the slicing and dicing for position, and the white-knuckle race to the finish line.
So if Sunday was your first exposure to Talladega, well, you sat through a tremendous letdown. That race fell far short of expectations, and nothing NASCAR says or does is going to convince anyone otherwise.
A pre-race ban on bump-drafting through the turns essentially neutered the race.
Me likey ,,,
3 wide,,,
3 deep,,,
200+ goin’ into 1 ,,,
And hope it sticks...;0)
Why can’t they run half the race Counter Clockwise and half Clockwise...
We’d lose too many tar changers.
They could put the northbound pits on the left and the southbound pits on the left...
Yah, that was about as much fun as Dale Jarrett’s last win at Michigan.
Dude, don’t we need to go check the smoker again? Hate to see all that pig burn... wait, the Vikes are playin, right? Can I go buy some more beer? Series game? Good Eats reruns? Backgammon? Need some help with that laundry? Sock drawer? Dang, you’ve got a lot of leaves in the back yard...
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